QUEEN’S PARK Ontario’s new, more secure driver’s licence card will help Ontarians avoid identity theft, says Transportation Minister Jim Bradley.

“Today, we are making the Ontario driver’s licence more secure to protect against fraud, misuse and identify theft,” he said.

Ontarians will receive the new card when they renew their driver’s licence, beginning in December. The new card incorporates leading edge security features such as laser engraved photo/signature/personal information, a fine line background, 2D barcode, micro and rainbow printing, secondary photo and signature images and ultraviolet features among others.

These changes bring Ontario in line with new standards for North American driver’s licences developed by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

“The card also uses a secure platform that can be enhanced in the future to include citizenship information,” Bradley said. “The province is working towards enabling Ontarians to use their driver’s licence as a border-crossing document.”

Giesecke & Devrient (G&D), in Markham, just north of Toronto, is producing the card. The company produces secure document design for passports, licences, payment transactions and currency for governments around the world.